Hands Off the United Methodist Church in Africa!

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

Luanshya , Zambia | August 25, 2024

Prior to the General Conference there was great anticipation of a mighty exodus for United Methodist Churches in Africa. Some United Methodist groups vigorously campaigned for disaffiliation process be extended to all central conferences (churches outside United States). Two weeks before the General conference, on the continent of Africa, Africa Initiative convened a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, sponsored by Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA), a Global Methodist Church proxy. The meeting's main agenda was paragraph 2553 in the Book of Discipline which granted local churches in the jurisdictions to disaffiliate from United Methodist Church. Glory be to God the paragraph was removed from the Book of Discipline during the General Conference.

Every normal person knows well that constitution of the United States protects the LGBTQ+ persons. That’s the more reason they had to fight tooth-and-nail to remove what they call negative or offensive words from our Book of Discipline. In so doing, African and Filipino delegates to the General Conference voted for Regionalization. \

Regionalization is the vital tool to decentralize the United Methodist Church from being American-centered into a decentralized church. Regionalization guarantees regions of the UMC can contextualize their ministry according to their cultural norms and values as well as sticking to scriptural traditions. Regionalizations gives a leeway to regions outside USA to adapt the Book of Discipline and make their recommendations through central conferences books of polity.

Many annual conferences of the United Methodist Church in Africa have said no to homosexuality. Because our cultural norms, values and our biblical worldview do not permit us to align nor support homosexuality. It's a taboo and an abomination in our African culture to support homosexuality.

There are those who have chosen to leave UMC which is OK. They’re within the confines of their religious rights to worship and within their freedom to freely choose. What is wrong is using manipulation, havoc, pandemonium to fracture the body of Christ.

These divisive forces claim to be holy and righteous yet they are busy causing havoc, paying people to demonstrate in order to bring the name of the United Methodist Church into disrepute. We saw sponsored demonstrations in Zimbabwe, in Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Nigeria, where it has even become a lifestyle operating like criminal gangs. In Liberia the UMC bishop escaped beatings; in my own country, Zambia, my colleagues and I escaped beatings too. They're ready to beat, even to kill, to grab membership and properties from the United Methodist Church.

We say to these breakaway forces: hands off the UMC in Africa! Leave with your family but don’t cause commotion and confusion,  sponsoring riots and quack demonstrations. In doing so you're not portraying Christian values but only representing your own sensual appetite for higher leadership and continued access to funding. Be reminded therefore that as Methodists we have a Wesleyan family. Leave honorably and maintain cordial relationships as one body of Christ.

We are not at war; this is the more reason Global Methodist Church leaders in USA should orient and educate their deemed members across the region of Africa. The barbaric behavior implored against the UMC today will be used against the GMC in the future. They say the first cut is the deepest. Remind your followers to exhibit Christlike characters.

To all my dear brethren and staying United Methodist members in Africa, our church needs cleansing, our church needs cleanup from the GMC proxy at all levels of leadership in the church, from local church up to episcopal level. Next year as we go for episcopal elections in all the central conferences in Africa, we should make it a mandatory that GMC proxies be excluded from leadership portfolios or else the Nigeria episode will unfold itself.

To our colleagues who have left, please, please, hands off UMC in Africa. Your choice is your right. UMC is not your bible or message of salvation. Preach Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel of salvation.

The Rev. Gabriel Banga Mususwa is General Secretary of the United Methodist Africa Forum and a member of Africa Regionalization Strategic Communicators. His essay has been edited solely for clarity.